White to Play and Win

Pete Tamburro on Sep 2, 2008

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It was very pleasing to get only one email on our last puzzle, the kingside attack by Mikenas. A lot of my usual correspondents appear to be developing as chess players, which is great to see. One person asked why White took the bishop on c8 (to allow the knight to go to f5 later) and everyone noticed that the queen could not be taken because of the pin on the f7 pawn.

As a reward, here's a tough position that requires some thought. It's from a correspondence game in 1931 between Ohls and Wagner. The opening ( I give the whole game in the solution) is the notorious Moeller Attack in the Giuoco Piano. They are still fighting about this opening, so my notes are sparse and not intended to investigate that issue.

Your issue is basically to try and mate Black. It requires ingenuity and skill. Playing through the solution, if you don't see it at all, will be an eye-opener for you. Good luck!

Solution:

Ohls-Wagner, Correspondence, 1931: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 exd4 6.cxd4 Bb4+ 7.Nc3 Nxe4 8.0–0 Bxc3 9.d5 Bf6 10.Re1 Ne7 11.Rxe4 d6 12.Bg5 Bxg5 13.Nxg5 0–0 14.Nxh7 Kxh7 15.Qh5+ Kg8 16.Rh4 f5 17.g3 Re8 18.Re1 Kf8 [Better defense was: 18...Ng6 19.Re6 Rxe6 20.dxe6 Qf6 21.Qh7+ Kf8 22.e7+ Kxe7 23.Rh6 Nf8 24.Rxf6 Nxh7 25.Rf7+ Kd8 26.Rxg7 Nf6]

And now the decisive attacking moves from the diagram:

19.Re6 c6 [Taking the rook doesn't help: 19...Bxe6 20.dxe6 Ng6 21.Rf4 Rxe6 22.Bxe6] 20.Rf6+ gxf6 21.Qh6+ Kf7 22.Qh7+ Kf8 23.Rh6 Ng8 24.Rg6 Re1+ 25.Kg2 Nh6 26.Rg7 Black Resigns ... can't avoid mate.

Send questions and comments to PTamburro@aol.com.